Controlled headlight



Sept. 20, 1927. Q

R. H. cLouGHLEY CONTROLLED HEADLIGHT 2 Shegts-Sheet 1 Filed May17, 1926 N QN ...L.. l I 12g WN w- .QMEW

Se t. 19 1,642,919

v 20, 2 R. H.- CLOUGHLEY CONTROLLIED HEADLIGHT Filed May 17, 1926 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES ROBERT E. CLO 'U'GHLEY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

commenter) HEADLIGHT.

' Application filed May 17, 1926. Serial No. 109,715.

This invention relates to a headlight for anautomobile, the objectbeing to provide improvements whereby the lamp or electric bulbjand its reflector may be shifted to d1f- 5 ferent'positions for use independently of, or

in'connection with, a supplemental reflector, whereby a bright but not glaring light may be' projected for city driving, or, a bright'but more widely spread or. difi'used I in light may be obtained for driving in the country or in places where a greater spread of the illumination is necessary.

' With this object in view, and others which 4 will appear hereinafter,I provide an 1mproved construction embodying a bodily 'shiftable-bulb and reflector which may be moved forwardly or rearwardly within a tubular shellto difierent positions under any suitable control convenient to the drlver of the car, and a supplemental v reflector which is not used when the bulb andvthe main reflector are retracted, but which is arranged to constitute a continuation of the main reflector when the'lamp and the main 1 reflector are advanced to bringthe main reflector into positionwhere it-will form the central part or bowl for the complete reflector which will then be made up of the main and supplemental reflectors. By this arrangement when the main reflector and its bulb are: in retracted position they are contained within the tubular casing and the rays of light are directed straight ahead and slightly downwardly, thus adapting the 7 headlight for use in city driving. The invention also comprehendsthe provision of a reflector in the upper part of the tubular casing, and acombined shock-absorber and a retainer carried with the movable reflector which bears on the inner surface :of the tubular 'shell, The driver is th'us'epabled to use bright lights in city drivingand keep within regulations which are in force in those approaching from't ev opposite direction. Y

On the other hand, in country driving or on roads in sparsely settled localities, the.

bulb and its headlight are shifted forwardly to bring the reflector into position where it ,fiispread them so that the. illumination will be flectors either forwardly or rearwardly ac- 'many cities and yet 'dis lay no glare to of a greater width and yet, by reason of the v prov1s1on of the improved lens ring, no glare will result.

My invention completely eliminates the necessity for dimming which is dangerous because .of the defective illumination that results. a

Provision is made whereby the bulb may be focused in itsv carrier and all necessary. adjustments obtained. v

The headlights may beoperated or controlled in any suitable manner andI do not l'1m1t myself to any particular controlling means but it will be advantageous to provide a control which will lead to some. point 7 convenient to the driver of the car as, for instance, on the dash or instrument board, or on the steerin column so that the driver may instantly shift the bulbs and their re- 76 cording to requirements.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, certain parts beingin full lines,

Figure 2 is a cross section on 1ine22 of Figure 1, and f I igure 3 is a front elevation,

The headlight has an end closing, metal shell which may conveniently consist of a front section jl and a rearsection 2, the front section being cylindrical and the rear section tapering for the purpose of better appearance; The two sections are suitably connected together at 3. A special bushing l is provided to admit the single or double wire' used, according to the type of ignition system employed on' the car;

Thelens appears at 5 and is carried by a appearance shown in Fig. 3. That is to say, instead of a circular opening, the lens ring 6 has amore or less elongated horizontally arranged opening? so that the, upper and lower groups of rays of light are prevented from spreading upwardl and downwardly to cause glare. 'lnadditlon to this feature, the upper part of thelens ring is in-the shape of a hood or visor as shown at 8, the undersurface of which is plated as at 9 to act as alight reflector to throw the upper ra s of light downwardly. The hood or re ector prevents glare at the top of the light and it prevents glare from the supplementalreflector 1 0 which will be described presently.

The lens '5. is secured tQthe rmg by an innib-41 ne r clamping ring 11, screws 12 being used 2 to hold said ring 11 to the lens ring 6.

The lens ring 6 is secured to the cylindrical front part of the shell 1 in anydesired manner.

The. reflector 10 mm the shape of a ring forming a section of a parabola and it is secured by an suitable fastening 13 to a flange l4 whici is fastened to the inside of the shell 1.

Contained within the shell 1 is a cylindrical inner shell 15 which may be supported in any suitable manner as, for instance, by brackets or hangers 16, 17 and this inner shell is coated black on its interior and preferably is provided in its upper part with an arc shaped reflector 18. The internal diameter of the inner shell 15 is the same as the distance across the open inner end of the reflector 10.

The rear of the shell 15 is closed by a head or cap 19 which has a central guide or bushing 20. Slidably, mounted in the guide or bushing 20 is a tubular carrier 21 which has an adjustable collar 22 held by a suitable set screw and provided with trunnions 23 projecting from opposite sides thereof. Screwed on the inner end of the tubular carrier 21 is a collar'24: which is held in position by a set screw 25. Riveted, soldered, or otherwise suitably connected to the collar 24 is a concave reflector 26 whose periphery is slidably mounted on the wall of the ,shell 15 and on the are shaped reflector 18. A wheel or roller 27 carriedby a spring 28 secured to the reflector 26, is adapted to travel on the reflector 18 and serves to hold the reflector 26 where set in the shell 15 and also to absorb vibration and jar to which the lamp is subject when'the car is in motion.

Contained within the tubular carrier 21 a lamp carrying tube 29 which is held by a set screw 30 wherever said tube may be located. The lamp 31 screws into the inner end of the tube 29 in any approved fashion. By sliding the tube 29 within the carrier 21, the lam 31 can be focused as may be desired and t e set screw 30 is then clamped against the tube 29. I have illustrated the invention as adapted for use in connection with an ignition system of the two-wire type where the bulb has a double contact, the wires inside of the tube 29 appearing at 32 but it will be understood that the invention can be used on sihgle wire ignition systems. The plug 33 which connects the wires 82 to the lighting system, screws into the rear end of the tube 29 and the wires 34: are led out through the hushed fitting 4 and the'plug 35 is plugged into the lighting system.

The tube 29 is shifted. bodily with the carrier 21 by the use of any suitable means under the control of the driver of the car, operating devices being provided on the instrument board or the steering column, by

on the shell preference, but such connections are not shown as they do not enter into the construction of the lamp. Provision will be made so that both of the headlights will be operated equally and simultaneously. A convenient means for shifting the carriers 21 and with them the reflectors 26 and the bulbs 31 of the two headlights,- may comprise levers, of which one is shown at 36, said lever bein pivoted at 37 to a bracket 38 15 and extending down through a slot in the rear part 2 of the 'outer shell. The lever has a slot or yoke 39 which receives trunnions 23. When the lever is operated the lamp and its reflector will be moved forwardly or rearwardly according tothe shifting of the carrier 21 forwardly will bring the reflector 26 into a position where it will constitute the bowl of a reflector of parabolic shape consistin of the reflectors 10 and 26. When'driving 1n the city, the re flector 26 and the lamp may be in retracted position whereupon the rays of light will be thrown directly ahead and somewhat downwardly and yet will not be spread.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a controlled headlight, the combination with a tubular shell, of a bowl shaped reflector and a source of illumination mounted to slide within said shell so as to be adapt ed to be shifted forwardly or rearwar ly within the shell, means for absorbingqars' and shocks communicated to said re tor and source of illumination, a ring shaped reflector which is open in its central part, said ring shaped reflector being arranged in relation to said bowl, shaped reflector so that the bowl shaped reflector may be disposed to complete theopen centra part ofthe ring shaped reflector, thereby permlttm both reflectors to be used in connection wit the same source of illumination, and means bodily movable with the source of illumination for focusing said source of illumination in relation to the bowl shaped reflector.

2. In a controlled headlight, the combination with a tubular shell or casing having an internal reflecting surface forming a part thereof, of a reflector and source of illumination mounted for bodily sliding movement as a unit within said shell or casing, and a spring actuated retainer and vibration absorber carried as a nnit with the movable refiector and source of illumination, said. re-

tainer and vibration absorber bearing on the interior wall of the shell.

3. In a controlled headlight, the combinationwith a tubular shell or casing having a reflecting surface in its upper part but otherwise provided with a non-reflecting interior surface, of a reflector and source of illumination mounted for bodily sliding movement as a unit within said shell or casing, said reflector approximating in size the interior size of said shell or casing, and a s ring actuated cushioning roller carried wit the reflector and source of illumination, said roller bearing on the interior wall of the 15 shell to hold the reflector and source of illumination where set in the shell or casing and to absorb vibration.

4. In a controlled headli ht, the combination with a shell or casing aving a ide, of a carrier slidable in said guide, a re ector carried by said carrier and slidable within the shell or casing a lamp carried by the carrier, a collar havlng trunnions and carried by said carrier, and a pivoted lever having slots receivin said trunnions, said lever being adapte for use toshift the carrier, reflector, and lamp as a unit within theshell or casing.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROBERT H. CLOUGHLEY. 

